Automatic plant setting apparatus
OwnerGil A. Senainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for automatically dropping plant seedlings at measured intervals into a furrow behind a plow point which digs the furrow as the apparatus is moved over a ground surface. The seedlings are contained in a multiple compartment tray which is automatically advanced as each plant is discharged, so as to position the next plant for discharge. The tray contains multiple rows of seedling compartments, and as each row is exhausted of its contained seedlings, the tray is automatically advanced to position another row of compartments for discharge of the seedlings contained therein.
Claims7
Mobile apparatus, for advancing, singulating and planting seedlings growing in strips, comrising:
- a frame having means for travel along a path on an earth surface to be planted;
- means for opening the earth at predetermined locations along the path for implanting seedlings;
- a plurality of plant container strips each having a plurality of upwardly and laterally opening pockets each adapted to contain a seedling plant;
- said strips each having a bottom wall provided with a plurality of abutments projecting downwardly therefrom and spaced longitudinally of said strip the same as the spacing of walls defining said pockets;
- a tray having parallel guide walls between which said strips are guided for sequential advancing movements parallel to said path of travel in order to sequentially position successive pockets at a predetermined discharge point of said frame;
- means successively engageable with said abutments for effecting said sequential movements in response to said travel in order to successively position said pockets at a oredetermined discharge point in said frame;
- a powered bar means carried by said frame for reciprocating movements in response to said travel of said frame;
- a downwardly projecting finger carried by said bar for sequentially sweeping plants laterally out of said pockets as said bar is reciprocated;
- said tray having barrier walls extending upwardly at the ends of said guide walls and effective to engage succeeding strips to retain them against advancing movements;
- means for lifting one of said strips to a height such as to allow a following strip to be extended over a barrier wall when a previous strip is discharged;
- and a pair of spaced parallel rails in which said tray is supported and guided for advancing movements transversely of said path to position a suceeding strip for consecutive movements parallel to said path, said rails having upwardly extending flanges retaining said tray.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.